In some meter apparatus, the amount of angle by which a pointer needle moves according to a rotation speed of an internal combustion engine in a predetermined speed range is greater than the amount of angle by which the pointer needle moves according to the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine in the other speed range. For example, in a meter apparatus disclosed in JP-A-11-24612, the amount of angle by which a pointer needle moves according to a rotation speed of an internal combustion engine in a high speed range for a normal operation, is greater than the amount of angle by which the pointer needle moves according to the rotation speed in the other speed range. Thus, a change in the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine in the high speed range for the normal operation can be easily understood.
In a vehicle meter apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2006-194664, the amount of angle by which a pointer needle moves according to a rotation speed of an internal combustion engine both in an idling speed range of 1000 rpm or less and in a high speed range of 3000 rpm or more is greater than the amount of angle by which the pointer needle moves according to the rotation speed in the other speed range.
In recent years, there have been an increased number of vehicles equipped with an internal combustion engine having a so-called “stop idling” function for temporarily stopping rotation of an output shaft of the engine when the vehicle satisfies a predetermined stop condition during rotation of the output shaft at an idling rotation speed. In a meter apparatus mounted on a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine having such a stop idling function, whenever the stop idling function is activated, a pointer needle, which moves according to a rotation speed of an output shaft of the engine, moves from a position indicating an engine idling speed to a position indicating a temporary engine stop.
Assuming that the meter apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2006-194664 is employed in the vehicle equipped with the engine having the stop idling function, the pointer needle frequently and repeatedly moves by a large amount of angle each time the stop idling function is activated. Occupants of the vehicle, in particular, a driver, may feel uncomfortable with the frequently repeated large movement of the pointer needle.